Thanks Paul!

[bencrush]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZmEBMkcy6Q

Thanks again to Paul Knight! Bent one of the bars you sent me about an hour ago. I've had to work pretty diligently on my 7" bending with the altered form I'm using to "try" to not wreck my shoulders like the last time. In the video you can plainly hear my shoulder popping pretty loudly. So it's not working as well as I had hoped, but the different style is much better than my normal style, in terms of how much pain I feel.

The kink is still difficult on the longer stuff for me and it robs me of all my crushdown power. But it's coming back slowly. I attempted a 7" Edgin in mid July and got 2 degrees of kink on it. Not a typo. Then got 6 degrees of kink on a 7" Edgin soon after bending the Fantastic. First 7" Edgin since mid to late 2007 was about a week ago. Took 30 hours. Again, not a typo. The kink was so difficult I'd get it moving just a degree at a time and then come back to it. Rest up and come back again. Mostly isos obviously. Finished it the next day but honestly it was a fight.

Then on August 30th I managed to bend a 7" Edgin in a little less than 5 minutes. Crap compared to my best times, but a cause for celebration the way my shoulders have felt on the 7" bars! I'm still going to take things slowly on my way to getting stronger. I take nothing for granted now after having one long bout with shoulder difficulties.

On the 2nd, yesterday, I bent another 7" Edgin, but this time in about 3 minutes. Still a crap time...but it's getting faster and felt better too.

I've bent 6 or 7 days in a row so my overall strength was down a bit today. So even more reason to be happy about this bend. It definitely felt harder to kink than an Edgin.

Paul, did I get one of the 560 bars or one of the 595 bars? I really hope it's the 595 bar because that would be kind of embarrassing if it calibrated easier than an Edgin and I'm gleeful about it. I haven't been sharing my 7" bar training videos because of that same reason. It is really hard for me to swallow to be struggling on bars that I once bent as a freaking warmup to bending the same bar with a 1/4"X7" CRS taped to it.

Either way, I'm very appreciative of the time you took to pack them up and send them out. Not to mention the money it took. Shout out again to Mike Hadland for doing the very same thing with the Psychos! I have to give them a shot in a few months or less.

I've been working almost exclusively with Drill Rod (O-1) and Stainless-303 all in 7" lengths for the main parts of my workouts. Trying to also warmup more thoroughly and focus most of my energy on 7" bends, even on warmups. Also used a few Brutal Hexes to dial in my form some more. Failed on a 7" Brutal Hex (only bananaed it) in early August, even though I could bend a Huge Hex on the same stock. So I guess I've come a good ways in just a month. The gains are going to slow to a halt very soon, but the ride is still pretty fun to be on. Also worked a bit with isos on my weakest ranges, kink and sweep. Neglected my crushdown quite a bit and it's probably weaker now, but it sure wasn't doing me much good to have a strong crushdown when I couldn't get anything to that crushdown.

Also thanks to Jason Payne for 2 things. The AWESOME crush pads! And the fantastically hard 5/16" Stainless-Hex that he generously gave me both times he's been at my house. In July I attempted a 7" piece of that and got absolutely no movement out of it. Then a few weeks ago I managed to kink one to about 20 degrees and it froze there for good. Took a 7" piece to under 90 degrees this week so I knew the strength was there to bend something at least as hard as a 7" Edgin.

I hope to check back in with my bending update when a KOAB goes down one of these days. If I don't check back in it just means I either gave up to pursue more meaningful activities (like making money, lol) or got injured again.

[CaptainCrush]

Sooooo glad to get on here and see a new topic posted by you man!

Just take things slow and I'm sure that old freakish 7 inch power will come out to play sooner than you think.

I wanna make more money too Ben!!

[John4cars]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZmEBMkcy6Q

Thanks again to Paul Knight! Bent one of the bars you sent me about an hour ago. I've had to work pretty diligently on my 7" bending with the altered form I'm using to "try" to not wreck my shoulders like the last time. In the video you can plainly hear my shoulder popping pretty loudly. So it's not working as well as I had hoped, but the different style is much better than my normal style, in terms of how much pain I feel.

The kink is still difficult on the longer stuff for me and it robs me of all my crushdown power. But it's coming back slowly. I attempted a 7" Edgin in mid July and got 2 degrees of kink on it. Not a typo. Then got 6 degrees of kink on a 7" Edgin soon after bending the Fantastic. First 7" Edgin since mid to late 2007 was about a week ago. Took 30 hours. Again, not a typo. The kink was so difficult I'd get it moving just a degree at a time and then come back to it. Rest up and come back again. Mostly isos obviously. Finished it the next day but honestly it was a fight.

Then on August 30th I managed to bend a 7" Edgin in a little less than 5 minutes. Crap compared to my best times, but a cause for celebration the way my shoulders have felt on the 7" bars! I'm still going to take things slowly on my way to getting stronger. I take nothing for granted now after having one long bout with shoulder difficulties.

On the 2nd, yesterday, I bent another 7" Edgin, but this time in about 3 minutes. Still a crap time...but it's getting faster and felt better too.

I've bent 6 or 7 days in a row so my overall strength was down a bit today. So even more reason to be happy about this bend. It definitely felt harder to kink than an Edgin.

Paul, did I get one of the 560 bars or one of the 595 bars? I really hope it's the 595 bar because that would be kind of embarrassing if it calibrated easier than an Edgin and I'm gleeful about it. I haven't been sharing my 7" bar training videos because of that same reason. It is really hard for me to swallow to be struggling on bars that I once bent as a freaking warmup to bending the same bar with a 1/4"X7" CRS taped to it.

Either way, I'm very appreciative of the time you took to pack them up and send them out. Not to mention the money it took. Shout out again to Mike Hadland for doing the very same thing with the Psychos! I have to give them a shot in a few months or less.

I've been working almost exclusively with Drill Rod (O-1) and Stainless-303 all in 7" lengths for the main parts of my workouts. Trying to also warmup more thoroughly and focus most of my energy on 7" bends, even on warmups. Also used a few Brutal Hexes to dial in my form some more. Failed on a 7" Brutal Hex (only bananaed it) in early August, even though I could bend a Huge Hex on the same stock. So I guess I've come a good ways in just a month. The gains are going to slow to a halt very soon, but the ride is still pretty fun to be on. Also worked a bit with isos on my weakest ranges, kink and sweep. Neglected my crushdown quite a bit and it's probably weaker now, but it sure wasn't doing me much good to have a strong crushdown when I couldn't get anything to that crushdown.

Also thanks to Jason Payne for 2 things. The AWESOME crush pads! And the fantastically hard 5/16" Stainless-Hex that he generously gave me both times he's been at my house. In July I attempted a 7" piece of that and got absolutely no movement out of it. Then a few weeks ago I managed to kink one to about 20 degrees and it froze there for good. Took a 7" piece to under 90 degrees this week so I knew the strength was there to bend something at least as hard as a 7" Edgin.

I hope to check back in with my bending update when a KOAB goes down one of these days. If I don't check back in it just means I either gave up to pursue more meaningful activities (like making money, lol) or got injured again.

Awesome bend Ben! Don't get yourself injured man, who else is going to train me in the ways of bending? BTW, I need to meet you during the day to get you that camera and some other items. Meet you half way from Lenexa to Lawrence.

[gumpster]

Nice update and good work Ben.

[bencrush]

Thanks guys! It's nice to not wake up hours after bending with my shoulders feeling like they're coming out of socket. Feeling pretty good today.

[tja]

Good job

Could you clarify the technique difference with 7 inch stock? I don't get it from the videos.

[Alawadhi]

Hope you heal man! Then you will come back to outbend most of us (just like now )

[bencrush]

Good job

Could you clarify the technique difference with 7 inch stock? I don't get it from the videos.

I'm using more wrist torquing action to get the bar started and a lot less pushing straight into the sides of the bar. It sucks not being able to use my old style because for me that was much more efficient.

[bencrush]

Weird. I just noticed that the video is only 59 seconds long. It cuts off right in the middle. Was it that way yesterday or has something strange gone on today with YouTube?

[CaptainCrush]

Weird. I just noticed that the video is only 59 seconds long. It cuts off right in the middle. Was it that way yesterday or has something strange gone on today with YouTube?

It's been 59 seconds since yesterday but I thought my computer was just being gay so I didn't say anything

[Paul Knight]

Great Job Ben! yep, I think you posted the wrong vid anywho - it is the 560 bar, but its defenitly more difficult to kink than an Edgin, but once it gets goin - as you know - it moves pretty smoothly. Congrats! glad I can send you some fun stuff - that six inch piece I sent was one of the HKOAB's that froze up on me - wanted to see if you could finish it since your crush is so freakishly strong

[bencrush]

Weird. I just noticed that the video is only 59 seconds long. It cuts off right in the middle. Was it that way yesterday or has something strange gone on today with YouTube?

It's been 59 seconds since yesterday but I thought my computer was just being gay so I didn't say anything

LOL. Thanks man. Very strange. No need to upload it since I'm now soundly embarrassed and found out it's the 560 bar, haha.

[bencrush]

Great Job Ben! yep, I think you posted the wrong vid anywho - it is the 560 bar, but its defenitly more difficult to kink than an Edgin, but once it gets goin - as you know - it moves pretty smoothly. Congrats! glad I can send you some fun stuff - that six inch piece I sent was one of the HKOAB's that froze up on me - wanted to see if you could finish it since your crush is so freakishly strong

Thanks again Paul! I'm embarrassed dude... I did move the Huge KOAB a bit at 4am this morning! And I do mean a little itty tiny bit. 1/8" on the longest iso I've ever done without blacking out on my garage counter top. 15 isos later it was still stuck at its new measurement. What a beast to bend it to where you got it! A few hours ago, after a dog walk warmup, I did a half dozen isos with a 5.5" Big G8. Felt it flex on a few of them. Flexed it hard on one in particular but it never budged from 2" and some change. But it will one of these days.

[MalachiMcMullen]

That 3/8 stock really turns to rock once it cools down. It's worse the shorter it is too. I've gotten some 3/8x6, 6.5 and 7 HRS stuck at around 90-100 degrees and figured I would revisit them as isos... I've revisited a bunch of shinys that have since met their maker and haven't budged the HRS in over 2 months of serious improvement. ANYONE who can move 3/8 stock, HRS or CRS, from cold like that could kill it fresh. Providing their kink was up to par(Ben)

[tja]

Good job

Could you clarify the technique difference with 7 inch stock? I don't get it from the videos.

I'm using more wrist torquing action to get the bar started and a lot less pushing straight into the sides of the bar. It sucks not being able to use my old style because for me that was much more efficient.

No wonder it was hard to notice Thanks for explaining!

[Tim71]

Wow! I've got some of this size stock and man it's an impressive bend.

Hope to hit it one day.

Great job!

Tim

[TKtheGreek]

It always take time to readjust, your 7 inch stregnth will come back fast though. Great job on that bar!

[bencrush]

Thanks again guys! It's coming back slowly...I'm just glad it's coming back at all. My training time is going to be drastically cut from now on so the added recovery time will either be a bonus or a burial.

[foxyj75]

Great Job Ben! yep, I think you posted the wrong vid anywho - it is the 560 bar, but its defenitly more difficult to kink than an Edgin, but once it gets goin - as you know - it moves pretty smoothly. Congrats! glad I can send you some fun stuff - that six inch piece I sent was one of the HKOAB's that froze up on me - wanted to see if you could finish it since your crush is so freakishly strong

Thanks again Paul! I'm embarrassed dude... I did move the Huge KOAB a bit at 4am this morning! And I do mean a little itty tiny bit. 1/8" on the longest iso I've ever done without blacking out on my garage counter top. 15 isos later it was still stuck at its new measurement. What a beast to bend it to where you got it! A few hours ago, after a dog walk warmup, I did a half dozen isos with a 5.5" Big G8. Felt it flex on a few of them. Flexed it hard on one in particular but it never budged from 2" and some change. But it will one of these days.

Ben, was that one of the crazy hard KOAB's? I think the ones I have are of that variety if it was. Even with cheater bars, they're way harder to kink than even the big G8's!! Other than wobbling that 5"(my power zone) one a while back, I've had no real luck on em' to date.

[Paul Knight]

Great Job Ben! yep, I think you posted the wrong vid anywho - it is the 560 bar, but its defenitly more difficult to kink than an Edgin, but once it gets goin - as you know - it moves pretty smoothly. Congrats! glad I can send you some fun stuff - that six inch piece I sent was one of the HKOAB's that froze up on me - wanted to see if you could finish it since your crush is so freakishly strong

Thanks again Paul! I'm embarrassed dude... I did move the Huge KOAB a bit at 4am this morning! And I do mean a little itty tiny bit. 1/8" on the longest iso I've ever done without blacking out on my garage counter top. 15 isos later it was still stuck at its new measurement. What a beast to bend it to where you got it! A few hours ago, after a dog walk warmup, I did a half dozen isos with a 5.5" Big G8. Felt it flex on a few of them. Flexed it hard on one in particular but it never budged from 2" and some change. But it will one of these days.

Ben, was that one of the crazy hard KOAB's? I think the ones I have are of that variety if it was. Even with cheater bars, they're way harder to kink than even the big G8's!! Other than wobbling that 5"(my power zone) one a while back, I've had no real luck on em' to date.

It cal'ed 665 at 7" inches, not sure what it would be at 6" - the 665 KOAB is still alot harder to start than a Big G8 which is mainly hard on the crush - to me it feels alot easier to get to 90 than even the easiest KOAB because its smaller in diameter IMO you could have 2 pieces of steel that cal the same, but one is thicker than the other - the thicker one will be harder to get started than the thinner piece

Edited September 7, 2008 by Paul Knight

[foxyj75]

Great Job Ben! yep, I think you posted the wrong vid anywho - it is the 560 bar, but its defenitly more difficult to kink than an Edgin, but once it gets goin - as you know - it moves pretty smoothly. Congrats! glad I can send you some fun stuff - that six inch piece I sent was one of the HKOAB's that froze up on me - wanted to see if you could finish it since your crush is so freakishly strong

Thanks again Paul! I'm embarrassed dude... I did move the Huge KOAB a bit at 4am this morning! And I do mean a little itty tiny bit. 1/8" on the longest iso I've ever done without blacking out on my garage counter top. 15 isos later it was still stuck at its new measurement. What a beast to bend it to where you got it! A few hours ago, after a dog walk warmup, I did a half dozen isos with a 5.5" Big G8. Felt it flex on a few of them. Flexed it hard on one in particular but it never budged from 2" and some change. But it will one of these days.

Ben, was that one of the crazy hard KOAB's? I think the ones I have are of that variety if it was. Even with cheater bars, they're way harder to kink than even the big G8's!! Other than wobbling that 5"(my power zone) one a while back, I've had no real luck on em' to date.

It cal'ed 665 at 7" inches, not sure what it would be at 6" - the 665 KOAB is still alot harder to start than a Big G8 which is mainly hard on the crush - to me it feels alot easier to get to 90 than even the easiest KOAB because its smaller in diameter IMO you could have 2 pieces of steel that cal the same, but one is thicker than the other - the thicker one will be harder to get started than the thinner piece

Assuming a 15% increase per 1/2'' removed, that would be 30% approx., so maybe around 885ish at 6''? In any case, when I say they're harder to kink, I mean REALLY harder to kink!! I've cheat kinked some, and can't budge em'. The steel works stuff I've been messing with is what I would expect a HKOAB to feel like. Much tougher to start than a 5.5 or maybe a 5'' edgin, and doesn't let up at all. The batch of KOAB's I have is all dark and rusty and evil. And they kicked me in the sack and took my lunch money.

[ox3782]

Awesome Job on that bar Ben nipping 3/8 in the heels!!!

Brendan

[Paul Knight]

Great Job Ben! yep, I think you posted the wrong vid anywho - it is the 560 bar, but its defenitly more difficult to kink than an Edgin, but once it gets goin - as you know - it moves pretty smoothly. Congrats! glad I can send you some fun stuff - that six inch piece I sent was one of the HKOAB's that froze up on me - wanted to see if you could finish it since your crush is so freakishly strong

Thanks again Paul! I'm embarrassed dude... I did move the Huge KOAB a bit at 4am this morning! And I do mean a little itty tiny bit. 1/8" on the longest iso I've ever done without blacking out on my garage counter top. 15 isos later it was still stuck at its new measurement. What a beast to bend it to where you got it! A few hours ago, after a dog walk warmup, I did a half dozen isos with a 5.5" Big G8. Felt it flex on a few of them. Flexed it hard on one in particular but it never budged from 2" and some change. But it will one of these days.

Ben, was that one of the crazy hard KOAB's? I think the ones I have are of that variety if it was. Even with cheater bars, they're way harder to kink than even the big G8's!! Other than wobbling that 5"(my power zone) one a while back, I've had no real luck on em' to date.

It cal'ed 665 at 7" inches, not sure what it would be at 6" - the 665 KOAB is still alot harder to start than a Big G8 which is mainly hard on the crush - to me it feels alot easier to get to 90 than even the easiest KOAB because its smaller in diameter IMO you could have 2 pieces of steel that cal the same, but one is thicker than the other - the thicker one will be harder to get started than the thinner piece

Assuming a 15% increase per 1/2'' removed, that would be 30% approx., so maybe around 885ish at 6''? In any case, when I say they're harder to kink, I mean REALLY harder to kink!! I've cheat kinked some, and can't budge em'. The steel works stuff I've been messing with is what I would expect a HKOAB to feel like. Much tougher to start than a 5.5 or maybe a 5'' edgin, and doesn't let up at all. The batch of KOAB's I have is all dark and rusty and evil. And they kicked me in the sack and took my lunch money.

thats funny!

The dark ones sound like the 665's - those 780's basically look like a thick red nail - they have little dimples in them and are slightly shiny - I think John has some easier KOAB's in stock now - I can't remember where I read that, maybe in the contest forum so strike while the iron's hot!

[tja]

Ben, about your shoulders: do you do any shoulder strengthening exercises, like L-flies, H-rolls (thanks Zach for mentioning these in another thread), plate halos, etc? They've done a lot of good to my injured shoulder.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Ben, about your shoulders: do you do any shoulder strengthening exercises, like L-flies, H-rolls (thanks Zach for mentioning these in another thread), plate halos, etc? They've done a lot of good to my injured shoulder.

H-rolls=Greatest thing since sliced bread.